


For All That You've Done

by Jersey SEAL (PseudoAuthor)



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Bromance/Pre-slash/Slash - depends on your goggles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family, Family Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Humor, M/M, Multi, Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams - Freeform, post 6x25
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-27
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2018-07-18 14:12:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7318429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PseudoAuthor/pseuds/Jersey%20SEAL
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eric taps at the railing. “I called mom.” </p><p>“Oh man--” Danny starts. </p><p>The reaction is understandable because he loves his mom, don’t get him wrong - she’s amazing, but she is also overbearing and well...motherly. She out-mothers, her own mother. He waves his uncle’s concern away. “It’s okay, she’s not coming. I promised her that I’d look after you.” </p><p>“You look after me?” Danny says incredulously. “Are you kidding?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	For All That You've Done

**Author's Note:**

> Written for anonymous who sent me this ask on tumblr: 
> 
> If you're still taking H50 prompts... Eric was mysteriously missing during the events of 6.25. When he finds out what happened to his beloved Uncle D, both physically and mentally (being potentially forgotten about by his Ohana, lack of cards and get well wishes, etc.) he flips his shit and sets out to make things right. Bonus points for 1. getting Grace and Charlie in on his scheming, and 2. confronting Steve and the ohana to explain the awesomeness that is Uncle D.
> 
> \--
> 
> I present to you the outcome of thesis-procrastination. Anon, when I said I was halfway through writing, that was when I thought this fic was going to be a max of 5000 words LOL! Hope this is okay - it's probably not as...angry? as you're hoping it to be - it sort of turned into a character study I suppose, about Eric :S (so I probably won't get the bonus points). 
> 
> Also thank you so much to kho(lovethesnark) for their patience in answering my Eric-related questions and for helping me figure out ages - I really appreciate it! 
> 
> McDanno-wise, it is completely up to you about how you see it - I do refer to their relationship as a marriage but Danny did that too in the show so...your mileage may vary I suppose :)
> 
> Warnings - none really, except I mention what I think happened to Matt (it's not graphic but just in case, you're warned). Also unbeta'd.

Eric’s Russo’s first introduction to his Uncle Danny went wonderfully according to his grandma.

Apparently whilst his mother was giving birth to him, Danny was playing baseball - his uniform tinged red from the dirt on the field, and his brand new cleats were dusty and battered.

But after - when the sun was low and Eric was nestled in his mother’s arms, his uncle had come by - still in uniform, still sweaty from running around in the Jersey heat, with a ginormous grin, and a small blue stuffed dog tucked under his arm.

“Hey bub, meet Eric Russo. You wanna hold him?” his mother had asked. And Danny had eagerly sat down in the seat next to her bed, the dog thrown onto the hospital bed, his hands out at the ready like a cheeky little shit (grandma’s words, not his) whilst Eric was transferred from mother to uncle.

His grandma tells him that Danny’s eyes got glassy as he spoke; voice low and crooning, unbelievably sober for a fourteen year old kid. “Hey Eric, I’m your Uncle Danny.” He had carefully tucked his finger into Eric’s curled up fist, sending Stella a look of awe when he felt the slightest pressure as Eric squeezed. “Jesus, I’ve only held him for like ten seconds and I already love him to death.” 

Apparently, he had sneezed then, and Danny had laughed dropping a kiss onto his forehead. “Stel, I’m gonna be the best uncle ever. He’s gonna be awesome!”

And he totally was because he was the first of the new William’s generation.

* * *

“Yo, what’s up boss?” Eric shuts the door behind him and sits in the offered seat. He runs through his list of tasks, trying to figure out if he forgot anything. _Maybe I’m getting promoted._

Ailani sighs at him and for a moment Eric sees a snapshot of his mother. The look on her face is eerily similar to when his mother found out about Uncle Matt.

_Okay, maybe I’m getting fired._

“Eric, there was an incident today-”

 _Fuck, totally fired,_ he thinks and sits up straighter already trying to come up with reasons against the decision that don’t begin with some form of ‘Detective William’s’. “I didn’t drop anything today,” he blurts out.  

She looks at him - worry colouring her brown eyes. “Eric, you’re not in trouble,” she says gently, and he slumps in the seat because, _shit,_ for a few moments he really thought that was it. Goodbye Hawaii, hello again Jersey, not that there’s anything wrong with Jersey of course but it’s just...he has a real good thing going here.

He brushes down his lab coat and straightens his collar. “That’s a relief - not that I was really worried or anything--”

“Eric, please.” She holds out a hand to stop him from talking and he immediately shuts up. “I didn’t want you to hear about this through gossip. Officer Kalaukua rang me a few moments ago. Did Detective William’s tell you about his current case?”

“Oh yeah! Drug case, bunch of overdoses, Steve and him were gonna do some undercover work,” he says nodding his head.

“Okay,” she says, leaning against her desk. “Eric, there’s been an incident.”

_Fuck._

Clearly he’s not doing a very good job of hiding his alarm, because her eyes widen and she comes over to him quickly. “Danny is okay, banged up but okay, except…”

 _Oh god, you’re killing me here boss!_ His easy sprawl is gone, his spine instead replaced with a spring-coil that’s wound too tightly. “What? Except what?”

“Commander McGarrett sustained severe injuries to his liver and he needed a transplant, at Danny’s insistence he’s going to be donating.”

 _What?_ He stands up, and then makes an aborted attempt to sit back down. “He’s--shit--I should--”

Ailani grabs his shoulders and forces him back into the chair. “Eric, you should go and wait with your family.”

What he wants to say is ‘but Uncle Danny’s my family’ - instead he shakes his head.

“They’ll need forensics. I’m forensics,” he mumbles. “You sure he’s okay?”

“Eric, I cannot let you work on this case. You are either going to the hospital or you’re going home. And okay is relative, but yes, from what I’ve been told, he had a few broken ribs after the plane crash—“

‘Plane crash?!”

Ailani’s eyes grow large as she replays her words. “Oh, I…yes - on Waikiki beach but he is fine. He was running around and everything last I heard.”

“But—”

Ailani gives him a hard stare – the sort of stare that means the decision has been made for him and there’s nothing he can do to change her mind. “You’re on leave. I’ll call you when I need you back here. Make a decision Eric.”

“Alright...I’ll go to the hospital." 

* * *

 “Hey G.” He drops his backpack by the door and continues into his little apartment before dropping onto the couch and turning the table fan on.

“Eric, I’m at the hospital. Are you coming?” Grace says, and he can tell that she’s trying to control the waver in her voice. He holds in a sigh. She’s doing so it so fucking well.

“I...I can’t.” A lie. “I gotta work.” Another lie. “Uncle D’s case - it’s a priority.” The truth. “We’re gonna be working through the night.” Another lie.

One out of four ain’t that bad.  

He hears Grace sniffle. “But they know that it’s Danno!” And god, he closes his eyes and hopes that she never finds out that he’s lying to her otherwise he is totally screwed. Grace looks cute and innocent but she totally is not, no matter what Danny thinks.

 _Everyone_ should be afraid of Grace Williams.

“Yeah, I know, that’s why they want us to do this - faster we get this done faster the bad people get put away. I wouldn’t be any help there anyways. You being looked after G?”

“Yeah, everyone’s here Eric.”

_Like you should be._

“That’s good,” he says leaning his head back against the couch. He needs to get off of the phone. “That’s good G - I need to get back to work - as soon as you find out anything you ring alright,” he says hoping that she can’t hear the rush in his voice.

“Okay, I will,” Grace says quietly before the call drops.

He stares at his phone for a bit before putting it face down the coffee table in front of him. 

* * *

The first time he _remembers_ Uncle Danny...well it’s not exactly a nice memory (not that he knew it at the time).

He remembers his mom coming into his room crying in the middle of the night and shaking him awake. “Baby, come on, we gotta go.” The lamp flicked on, and he flopped around, pushing his head under the pillow. “Eric, shoes on - we’re going to grandma and grandpa’s. You wanna see them, right baby?”

“Stella?”

At the newcomers voice he pushed the pillow of his head and sat up. “Auntie Sarah!”” He had jumped out of his bed because she’s was his favourite aunt. She had caught him around the waist and swung him around for a few moments.

“Nephew Eric!” He remembers her kissing him on the cheek. “Let’s get your shoes on. We’re going on a trip.”

He remembers being strapped into his car seat, his, “Mommy, is Daddy going to Grandma’s later?” remaining ignored.  

Aunt Sarah was driving, his mother sniffling in the passenger seat beside her.

He remembers being carried into the house, his grandma, giving him a chocolate chip cookie, his grandpa, high fiving him for wanting milk.

And Danny. He remembers Danny’s mohawk, the strip of hair fluffy, looking odd with the sides shorn so close to his head. Danny had picked up him by his armpits raising him up until they were eye to eye. “Hey kiddo, you wanna watch cartoons with me?”

He had, because what kid doesn’t like cartoons. When they dropped onto the couch he had wriggled up next to Danny who slung an arm around his shoulder. He used his uncle’s chest as a pillow to rest his head on and after a few moments asked, “Is mommy alright?”

Danny had run his hands through his hair, his words rumbling through his chest against Eric’s ear. “She will be buddy.” 

* * *

It takes him two days before he gets the guts to actually visit Danny.

Before he enters the room, he takes a moment to compose himself - attempts to fix a smile on his face, and calls up the swagger that he knows drives his uncle to no limits of frustration.

“I know you said that you hated Hawaii, but I didn’t know you hated it this much Uncle D,” he says, light and teasing and _shit, am I trying to hard?_

Thankfully he’s acting normal enough because Danny laughs and casts a glance to Steve. “Haha, look who’s here, Bozo the Clown.”

The grin on Steve’s face grows and he sticks out a hand ready for a fist bump, ignoring Danny’s mutter of ‘be careful’ as the movement undoubtedly pulls at his stitches. “E-Train!”

Eric moves in, quickly bumping Steve’s fist before going to Danny’s bedside.

“You’ll have to forgive him, he’s still a little loopy,” his uncle tells him, sending another concerned glance at his partner. Steve’s nestling back into the pillows, eyes closed and mouth going slack. Seems like the little burst of enthusiasm wore him out.

Eric taps at the railing. “I called mom.”

“Oh man--” Danny starts.

The reaction is understandable because he loves his mom, don’t get him wrong - she’s amazing, but she is also overbearing and well...motherly. She out-mothers, her own mother. He waves his uncle’s concern away. “It’s okay, she’s not coming. I promised her that I’d look after you.”

“You look after me?” Danny says incredulously. “Are you kidding?”

“Hey, man, I’ve had this responsible adult stuff in the bag for a while now.”

“That’s what you said when you had Dobby--”

They look over seeing Steve’s brow furrowed, and his chest moving rapidly. “No—Danno! Help…”

“Hey, babe?” Danny says quietly. When Steve doesn’t respond, Danny calls his name harshly. It snaps Steve to attention, his body going visibly taut under the covers even though he’s asleep. “Go to sleep, you’re alright,” Danny murmurs.

The effect of Danny’s words is instantaneous as Steve settles, the lines of his forehead disappearing, his body seemingly sinking into the bed. Eric watches his uncle watch his partner until Steve’s breathing evens out again.

“That was weird.” He doesn’t mean to say it out loud but it is probably the strangest thing he’s ever seen Steve do.

Danny sends him a sharp glance. “It’s the drugs - don’t bring it up with him.”

He blows out a breath and holds his hands up. “I won’t.” He waits a moment and then says, “Dobby ran away.”

“You left the gate open.”

“Like you’ve never forgotten to do something,” Eric retorts with a meaningful look that immediately has his uncle’s eyes move to his right shoulder.

When Eric was two, Danny had forgotten to close the safety gate that kept him out of the kitchen and his mom had left the basement door open. He fell down the basement stairs (there were like seven of them), and dislocated his shoulder and Danny had felt guilty for ages.

Apparently Danny still feels guilty if the resignation in his voice is anything to go by. “Fine, you can look after me.” 

* * *

He quickly ducks out of the elevator and tries to look as unsuspicious as possible given that visiting hours ended a little over thirty minutes ago. He looks to the nurse’s station, and sees that there is no one that he could sweet talk into visiting if he approached normally.

Tonight it’s the grumpy trio of nurses that give him the evil eye and tut disapprovingly at him for no reasons other than that they can.

He watches one of them get up and disappear into a store room, and the other two turn their back to look at files. Quickly he tiptoes across, breathing a sigh of relief as he clears the station and proceeds to the room.

“Knock knock,” he says quietly. “Uncle D?”

“Eric?”

He frowns seeing a sleeping Steve and the curtain drawn, hiding sight of his uncle. He quietly walks around to Danny’s side.

“You weren’t sleeping were you?”

Danny sighs, and presses his hand just above where his stitches should be. “No. Too uncomfortable.”

“Do you want me to--” he offers, already turning to get one of the grumpy nurses.

“Sit down.”

As he settles in the seat, he offers Danny a smirk. “Finally got sick of seeing his face?”

Danny inhales, and exhales slowly, and something sad flashes across his face. “Something like that,” he mutters. To Eric’s ears, it sounds half bitter.

In an attempt to distract Danny he cranes his neck around the curtain. “You guys got a lot of stuff. Flowers, and shit.”

Danny shifts in bed again. “It’s Steve’s.”

He frowns and takes another look at the display of well wishes. “What, serious?”

Danny shrugs like it doesn’t matter, and _the fuck?_ “Head of Five-0?” he says in that tone that suggests that Eric should be much more enlightened. “He’s a big deal. Also he almost died.”

“Uh…so did you.”

Danny waves his words away. “You know, that ostentatious display might actually be good for something. Might finally get it through his head that people care about him. Then again, he’s a maniac so he might just see things to blow up…” he waves his hand dismissively. “Ignore me, I’m talking crap. Jesus, I’m so fucking tired.” He sends Eric a look. “It’s late, why are you even here?”

“That’s a really dumb question. I’m gonna tell mom you asked me that.”

“Oh please, I talk to her more than you talk to her. Go home Eric,” Danny says as Eric fails to hide the yawn behind his hand. He shouldn’t be this tired, except he’s been processing evidence from other cases and trying to catch up the work that he’s missed even though Ailani said that the other lab techs were more than happy to cover for him.

“Fine. I’ll be back in a couple of days to drive you home. Ring if you need me.” 

* * *

“You need to get measured for a suit.”

“Do I have to?” Eric rolls his eyes and tries to crane his neck around his uncle who is standing in front of the TV blocking MTV.

“Hey!” Danny says snapping his fingers. “Eric, come on, up and at ‘em.”

“I wanna wear jeans,” he whines and turns off the TV because he isn’t going to be able to watch anything. Not with Danny in the way.

Danny scoffs. “You can wear jeans on the other 364 days that is not my wedding.”

“I don’t want to wear a tie. They look dorky.”

“You think I’m going to take fashion advice from a nine year old. What am I, insane? If it were up to you, I’d be waiting at the alter for Rach in light up kicks. Come on ring-bearer. I’ll take you out for ice-cream afterwards.” 

* * *

He presses the buzzer waiting for the intercom to connect and feeling really out of place in such a flash neighbourhood. He hopes that none of the neighbours call HPD on him. Admittedly, it probably looks like he was casing the joint – pacing in front of the gates, wondering if this was a good idea.

_I wanna be this rich. The driveway is huge…_

“Hello?”

“Hey Aunt Rach, it’s Eric. Can you let me in? I need to talk to you.” He knows that he probably can quit with the ‘aunt’ thing (and considering the Charlie fiasco he probably should) but old habits and what not.

In her crisp British accent she says, “One moment. I’m opening the gate.”

The iron gates slide open and he stops himself from whistling. 

He gives a wave as she ushers him inside.

She looks well, her hair is shorter than what he remembers and she’s dressed in sweat pants and a ratty t-shirt which is the complete opposite of what he’s come to know from her.  “What are you doing here?” she asks; her voice hard with an edge of defiance.

The last time he saw her was on his first visit to Hawaii and it had been a little awkward, but nice. They all went to dinner; Rachel, Grace, and Danny and he had made Grace laugh so hard that she spat out her juice and destroyed Danny’s tie in the process.

 _Do I hug you?_ He used to hug her…

He smiles at her, hoping to put her at ease. “I hope I’m not interrupting or anything. I actually need to talk to the kids more. It’s about Uncle D - he’s getting out in a few days.”

She looks at him sceptically. “Grace won’t be home for about another fifteen minutes. You’re welcome to wait. I’ll get you something to drink, tea?”

“Uh, thanks.” As she disappears into the kitchen he goes into the living room and toes off his shoes before crossing onto the white carpet. He scoops Charlie up into his arms, distracting him from playing with Lego on the floor and carries him to the couch. “Hey, little man.”

“E-Train!” Charlie shouts in his ear, wrapping an arm around his neck. 

“That’s my name, don’t wear it out. Seriously, kid, I can hear you. You mind not deafening me before I turn 30?”

Charlie grins at him and in a much lower voice asks: “You wanna play?”

“I’m amazing at play. You shoulda seen me little man, I got an A in play.” He lets go of his cousin and sits on the floor with his legs crossed. Charlie chooses a toy for him and places it in his hand. He makes a few ‘vroom vroom’ noises and mimics an explosion because, what kid doesn’t like explosions? 

Charlie apparently.

Charlie looks at him clearly unimpressed with his imagination. “No, not like that,” he says, taking the truck out of his hand and rolling it across the mat until it hits the dinosaur. “Like that.”

“Okay, maybe I got a B+.” He takes the truck back and hugs it to his chest.

“Here you go.” Rachel puts the cup and saucer on the table and watches him warily. “You’ve not been here before.”

“Never needed to come here.” She continues to look at him and he rolls his eyes. “Quit looking at me like that. You messed up but it’s none of my business.” She blinks at him in surprise. “They’re getting over it – back home. They aren’t gonna like you but they’ll put the kids first…make nice."

She doesn’t believe him. “There must be something you want to say. I’d rather know what you think of me, than have you pretend to like me.”

“You did a—“ He takes a quick glance at Charlie who’s distracted by his toys. “Mean thing,” he says censoring himself. “You said you didn’t want them to grow up without a dad but that’s a cop out. Stan’s on a plane every month? Planes crash. Stan drives a car? Cars crash. Yeah, being on the police force increases the danger a bit but you _know_ that Uncle D would do everything he could to be with them – he’d choose them.”

Maybe it’s his tone of voice, or the look on his face but Rachel’s gaze becomes empathetic. “Oh Eric…” she says gently.

He sighs and scrubs a hand over his face before looking at Rachel. “Your kids are lucky ‘cause I can tell you that it’s not the same for everyone.”

“I’m sorry Eric,” she says, and he watches as she swallows a few times. “You’re very wise now.” Her words are kind, cautiously teasing.

She’s trying to mend her bridges, and he’s going to help.

He grins and stretches. “I’m a genius. Ask anybody.”

“Danny?”

 “Except him. You want to join us? Charlie was teaching me how to _play_.”

Rachel sinks to the floor gracefully. “Charlie’s very good at that,” she says proudly. “Charlie, can mummy have a toy?”

They take turns entertaining Charlie and they trade stories about work, and Danny. Eric finds out that Danny took her to a Bon Jovi concert for one of their anniversaries and Rachel learns that Danny is the only reason why he was able to get a job in Hawaii.

Eventually they hear a car pull in, the slam of a door, footsteps approaching the front house, a jangle of keys. “That should be Grace.” Rachel gets up to greet Grace at the door.  He sees Grace rush through and disappear up the stairs. “She’ll wash up first. I should get some work done. You’ll be okay with Charlie?”

“All good.” He salutes her and sits with his back against the white leather couch and watches Charlie spin around in circles.

“Hey Eric.”

“Hey G. How was cheerleading?”

Grace takes a seat in one of the chairs near him and grins happily. “I got to be top of the pyramid.”

“Nice!” he crows, offering her a fist bump.

“Mom said you wanted to talk to me.”

“Yup. Was thinking we should do something nice for your dad. He’s had a pretty tough year.” Charlie topples over onto the floor, his face red and his hand clutching his head. “Come over here buddy.”

Grace leans back, a hand on her chin, a furrow between her brows as she thinks. “Maybe a party, we can invite everyone and we can all relax.”

It’s a good idea, but it seems like something that might happen more down the track considering that everyone probably means the members of Five-0 and Steve won’t be well enough to celebrate for a few months.

“I was thinking something a bit smaller. You know...fun sized.” He pokes Charlie in the cheek. “We could build up to the party,” he offers. “I was thinking maybe you could draw a few pictures Charlie? I bet Danno would like something to stick up on his walls - they’re pretty boring.” He feels Charlie nod against his chest.

Grace sits up. “I could buy Danno a book, like _Game of Thrones_! I’ll give you the money.”

Charlie pushes against his arm and he lets go watching him wave at Grace. “Sounds like a plan,” Eric says.

  
They trade ideas for a few minutes until Grace goes quiet. “It’s because none of the stuff was for dad, isn’t it?” Grace says when Charlie toddles off in search of Rachel.

He hesitates in his explanation because whilst Five-0 aren’t his people, they are Grace’s.

“Just think it’d be nice if he had some stuff G - I keep forgetting his birthday.”

She doesn’t look like she believes him but nods her head. “Okay.” 

* * *

“Do you want to hold her?”

“No!” he whispers terrified of the girl in the capsule. “It…”

“Grace,” Danny corrects, still smiling down at her. “It’s okay kid. You aren’t going to break her.”

Danny sounds so sure about that, but as Eric looks on, at her small button nose, and her tiny little curled up fists that are no wider than about three of his fingers combined, all he can think about is accidentally dropping her 

“I don’t want to Uncle Danny,” he says quietly.

Danny pats his head. “That’s okay, bud." 

* * *

“You ready to be sprung from this joint?”  Eric asks, a few days later when he comes in ready to take Danny home.

“This is torture,” Steve mutters, flicking off the TV in disgust. “Take me with you.”

“Yeah, sure,” Danny says, his voice laden with sarcasm.

Steve seems to miss it though because he perks up. “Really?”

“No you putz. You break out of here, I’m asking Denning to order you a psych eval.”

Eric sweeps his eyes across the room pleased to see the first _Game of Thrones_ book on Danny’s beside, a bookmark hidden partway under a few pages.

“Digging the artwork,” he says picking up a few sheets of paper. Charlie’s shaky scrawl denotes, the short man with bright yellow hair as ‘Danno’, and the smaller boy with bright yellow as ‘Charlie’. There’s also one of Five-0, a few of Grace, one with a dinosaur and Rachel, and another couple with cars and rainbows.

“There’s one of you too,” Danny says proudly. Sure enough there’s one of him, with ‘Eric’ printed along the side of him wearing what he assumes to be a baseball cap. “Aren’t they great?”

“You got a real Picasso on your hands,” Danny looks at him as if trying to determine whether he’s being a shit. “Serious, Uncle D - he draws way better than I did.” He hands the pictures to Danny and grabs one of his bags. “Ready?”

“Yep.” He gets into the awaiting wheelchair without complaint, the novel and another bag on his lap. “The outside world beckons me. See you in a couple of months Steven. Be good for the staff.”

“Hey Danny, you want any of these?” Steve says, faux innocence all over his face.

Eric looks at the assortment of flowers and balloons and hides his frown by looking at the top of his uncle’s head.

“You’re an asshole. C’mon, let’s go Eric.”

Danny remains quiet leaving Eric to fill in the silence with nonsense until they reach the car.

As Danny settles in the passenger seat of the Camaro, Eric leans back dragging a bag and cushion from the foot well of the backseat. He hands the cushion to Danny who looks at him like he’s delusional. “You hold it against your stomach. It’s meant to make you more comfortable whilst I’m driving. Extra padding to hold your insides in or whatever.” When Danny makes no move to take it, he shakes the pillow again. “People on the internet said to do it.”

Danny rolls his eyes and bunches the cushion against his abdomen. ‘Well if the internet told you to do it…”

“Do you want a blanket? Or water...I got something to eat too. Uh, it’s pretty bland though, but you know, simple stuff first right.”

“Just drive me home kid.”

He does. He takes extra care to avoid any potholes and goes the speed limit as Danny dozes next to him, pillow still held over his stomach, sometimes tensing as a jolt runs through the car.

“Uncle D? We’re here,” he says quietly pulling into the driveway. Danny blinks and carefully stretches. “Pillow was a good idea,” he murmurs as he gets out of the car.

_Yes! Go me!_

“Man, I’m going to bed,” Danny says still clutching his stomach as Eric opens the door.

“Uh, yeah, about that…”

“Oh c’mon--” Danny cuts himself off as Charlie runs into his legs. “Hey buddy!” he ruffles Charlie’s hair excitedly, and leans down a little to hug Charlie against his legs.

“Gently, little man. Let’s get your dad set up on the couch. Here you can carry his cushion.” He hands said cushion over to Charlie who runs ahead and places it on the couch. Danny shuffles in through the front door.

“Hey Dad, you like it?” Grace says coming out of the kitchen and pointing to the banner above her.

Danny reads the ‘Welcome Home Danno’ sign and smiles, opening his arms out for a hug. “I love it sweetheart. Come and walk your old man over.”

“Mommy, can we eat cake?” Charlie shouts.

“Inside voice.” Eric says. “Dude, he doesn’t have a volume control.” He ignores Danny’s glare. Rachel comes out with a small cake and puts it on the coffee table offering Danny a smile. Eric doesn’t really know if Danny’s forgiven her, he probably should’ve gauged the situation better. “I hope it’s okay that I invited her too.”

Danny claps his shoulder. “It’s fine. Hey Rachel.”

“Danny,” Rachel says warmly. She comes around to Danny’s side and helps him to sit on the couch before returning to the other side of the coffee table as if having the barrier will somehow make their interaction easier. “Welcome home. Kids go get your gifts.”

“Gifts?” Danny says. “Rachel, this is unnecessary.”

“Tell that to your children Daniel,” she says dryly and prods Charlie’s shoulder as he comes back with the present clutched in his hands. “Go on Charlie.” He shyly holds out the poorly wrapped present with too much sticky tape.

The look on Danny’s face is priceless, and he takes the present like it’s covered in gold. His fingers carefully run along the edges of the tape, and Eric has to stop himself from laughing as he can see Danny’s confusion mount as nothing opens. Eventually he pokes a hole through the tape and paper before ripping the wrapping paper off. “Thanks buddy.” He proudly holds out the bright orange microwavable heat pack. “Oh, this is excellent.”

“To fix your tummy,” Charlie informs him sagely.

“I’m sure it’ll fix me right up,” Danny says. “It’ll almost be as good as your cuddles.” Charlie responds by carefully hugging Danny, his touch light and quick – probably because Rachel told him to be extra careful.

“Here Danno.” Grace holds out her gift.

Danny takes the box and opens the lid, whistling at the assault of blue, yellow and red. “Superman!” he cheers, pulling out the mug and waving it at them. “And PJ’s, oh,” he says, fingers rubbing the material, “I’ll be very comfy in these. Thanks babe.” And he grins even wider when Grace plants a kiss on his cheek.   

* * *

He’s sitting on the steps of his house and flinches hearing the front door close. “I’m never getting married,” he says to the quiet street before him.

 _Hawaii._ Sun, surf and babes. And that bitch Rachel, and Grace and Uncle Danny.

Danny knocks his knee against his as he sits down. “Good to know.”

“All it does it make it hurt more when people fuck off.”

“Oi!” He winces at the slap across the back of his head. “Watch your language kid, your mother has the hearing of a bat.”

“Asshole,” he mutters under his breath immediately moving away as his uncle’s hand makes another move to swat at him. “Alright, alright!”

Danny shakes his head turning his head to the street. “You think being married is that bad? What about Aunt Sarah or Grandma and Grandpa - are they miserable?” he asks quietly.

“Uh, yes – you and mom are perfect examples of how bad it is. Give it time. Uncle Matt’s gonna be the only one happy from your four.”

Danny snorts. “Matty is a manchild.”

“No one depends on him. He made the smartest decision outta all of you.”

“You don’t come into a marriage thinking it’s going to fail.” Danny sighs. “I gotta go where Grace goes, she’s my daughter.”

“Yeah. Good for her.” He stands up and walks into the house slamming the door behind him. 

* * *

As he’s pouring milk into his cereal, the doorbell rings.

When he pulls the door open, he takes in the uniform and the bored look of the man in front of him and sympathises. “Can I help you?” Not everyone can have an awesome job like his.

The delivery guy double checks his electronic pad. “Delivery for Danny Williams?”

“Uh, yeah - I can sign for it.”

“Great.”

He scrawls something akin to a signature across the pad and takes the brown paper wrapped parcel from the delivery guy. There’s no tag, or writing on the paper save for a white stick-on label with his uncle’s name and address in black, bold type.

As he makes his way to Danny’s room, he shakes the box but hears nothing inside it. He knocks on Danny’s bedroom door. “Uncle D - you awake?”

He hears dark muttering and pushes the door open. “If you don’t have coffee for me, you can leave.”

Danny sits up scratching absentmindedly at the right side of his scar, his hair a fluffy mess at the back of his head. Eric waves the parcel at him. “Not coffee, but a delivery for you.”

Surprise colours Danny’s face. “Who’s it from?”

“No name.”

Danny looks at the box warily. ‘What do you mean, there’s no name? Dammit Eric – even Grace knows better than to accept stuff like that.”

“Jeez, man, you’re looking at it like it’s a bomb. Paranoid much?”

“Shut up. I have two words for you, anthrax envelopes.” Eric shakes the box again ignoring the minor heart attack that his uncle’s having. “Stop! Stop shaking it!” Danny hisses, a hand darting forward to gingerly take the parcel out of his hands.

He rolls his eyes because _really_? “No explosion - I think we’re fine. Just open the thing.”

Danny gives him the stink eye before carefully unwrapping the brown paper and opening the lid of the box.

“Are we going to die?”

“It’s a tie.” Danny holds up the object, gaze fond; his smile, mildly amused.

“That’s one fugly tie.”

“Horrendous,” Danny agrees easily, his thumb rubbing over the smooth material. “It’s nice though...feels expensive.”

“Any idea who it could be from?”

“I dunno.” He shrugs. “A few years ago I would’ve said from Grace but…” his voice trails off, but the smile is still on his face. 

* * *

It takes Danny a little under a month and a half to go back to work.

As they take the elevator up to Five-0, Eric watches as his uncle crosses himself muttering under his breath about an explosion free first day. “I’m glad you’re finding my desire for a stress free day funny.”

“Just admiring your sudden religious enthusiasm.”  He remembers Danny carrying around a Catholic medallion – a Patron Saint of cops. George? Paul? _Michael!_ Although he hasn’t seen it around since he came back to Hawaii. Danny used to wear it around his neck when he was a kid. “Call me if you want to leave early - Ailani’s giving you free reign of my schedule,” he says, as the elevator comes to a stop.

His uncle smirks. “So I can have you work 24/7?”

“That’s real cold of you Uncle D. See if I ever help you again.” He readjusts the strap of his bag and follows Danny as he turns into the corridor that leads to the Five-0 offices.

“Why’re you following me? Labs are on a different floor – don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already.” Danny looks at him like he’s an idiot, _nothing new there,_ and he just gives him a grin.

“I’m making sure you get to the office in one piece. Mom said to do it.”

“You know, I’m gonna call her and double check,” Danny tells him, as he pushes the glass door open, his head turned towards him.

“You do that,” he says with a sigh when he sees the sight before him.

“Danny!” Kono yelps wide-eyed, letting go of the half blown balloon that flies across the room before fizzling out and dropping behind the tech table.

Chin hangs his head, the banner in his hand drooping even more towards the ground. “See this is why I told you to wait outside,” he says to Kono, slapping the tape on the banner and jumping down from the chair.

Eric watches Danny laugh and shake his head ruefully at the cousins. “I’m gone for a month and you guys forget how to plan an op? Come and give me a hug babe.”

Kono goes over and hugs Danny, her dimples showing as she smiles, hooking her chin over his shoulder. “Missed you – it’s been too quiet around here,” she says sincerely, pulling back from the hug to tap him lightly on the shoulder.

“Chin, it’s looking a little low on the right.” Danny says giving Chin a hug too with a few hearty claps on the back.

“Lou put that side up. Don’t blame me brah.”

“Lou did? Well now I feel warm and fuzzy. Where’s the big guy anyway?”

The cousins’ share a look before Chin says, “He went to get Jerry from the basement.”

Danny pulls a face. “I could say something snarky but I won’t.” He turns to Eric and sends him a look. “I am okay, I’m at work in one piece – these two will look after me. I am going to sit in my office and do paper work – you can quote that to your mother.”

“Aww, look at my kid already off to work.” He puts a hand to his heart and uses the other to wipe away fake tears.  

“Get outta here.”

“I’ll walk you out – I need to talk to you about some evidence.” Chin follows him out of the double doors looking over his shoulder at Kono and Danny who have started blowing up balloons. “Sorry, we didn’t realise that he’d be here so quickly. Lou went to get Jerry so we wouldn’t have to decorate the place by ourselves.”

“It’s okay.” At least Danny was a little bit surprised.

“Kono will be happy that Danny wore the tie today, she spent ages of trying to find something—“

“Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me,” Lou says walking up the corridor with Jerry behind him, a party hat on his head. “He’s already inside?”

“Blowing up balloons with Kono,” Chin reports. 

* * *

He didn’t think he’d actually get busted. The cell is filled with three other people, one of them being a friend, the other two being...shit; _they don’t put murderers in with normal people do they?_

Steal a car they said, it’ll be fun they said.

“Russo, Eric,” the officer says opening the cell door and pulling him out. “Lucky day. Shame to hear that your Detective Williams’ nephew though.” He gets lead out and sees his grandpa and mom waiting for him. _Shit._

“Outside and into the car,” his mom says quietly.

The ride home is frosty and it doesn’t get any better when they get home. He goes to his room only to come down again when his grandpa forces him down the stairs. “So what, I’m grounded right? No TV, what no cell phone?”

“Yeah, he’s here,” he hears his mom say into the phone. Her eyes are red-rimmed. “Are you sure bub?” she says nervously glancing between Eric and a spot on the wall. “Yeah, okay, alright! I’ll put you on speaker phone.” She puts the phone on the table. “Eric, I’ve talked about this with Danny and I’m sending you to Hawaii.”

 _Hawaii? Score!_ He grins, and stretches. “Hey thanks for bailing me out Uncle D, I guess nepotism is good for something--”

He jumps at the anger in Danny’s voice. _“You stupid son of a bitch.”_

“Uncle D?”

_“You think this is funny? What the hell’s the matter with you huh? In what universe did you think your actions were a good idea. Nevermind, you don’t think, hell you never think anymore.”_

“Danny!” Stella says.

_“No sis, you want me to help you, then you cannot coddle him anymore. He is not a little boy. He’s a grown ass man and he is going to start acting like it, or so help me god…”_

“On second thoughts I’m not going anymore.” What a fucking joke - they think he’s actually going to go.

_“Oh no, you my friend are out of control. If your butt is not on this island in three days, then I will personally have the US Navy track you down and bring you to my front door.”_

“Yeah right,” he snorts. Jesus, since when did his uncle turn into a raging douchebag?

_“You think I’m joking. He thinks that I’m joking, isn’t he cute? Dad, make sure he gets on the plane. Sis, I mean it, no short cuts anymore. Eric I’ll pick you up from the airport."_

* * *

The months have flown by pretty quickly. He’s back in his little apartment, Danny strong enough to no longer need his help. Steve’s also back and he’s’ just been cleared for the field - _God help us all –_ were his uncle’s exact words.

The shouting gets louder as he nears Steve’s office door. Chin and Lou are at the tech table studiously ignoring the elevated sound levels. Kono’s nowhere to be seen – if she’s a smart woman – and she totally is (only those with slightly dented self-preservation skills would remain) she’ll reappear when everything is calm again.

He pauses at the door trying to get a read of the room. Danny is standing up, arms crossed over his chest, with one, half up in the air. Steve’s leaning against the front of the desk, a few scapes over his skin, his sleeves torn and bloody and dirt streaked across his shirt and face.

“Uh sorry for interrupting,” Eric says, knocking at the door.

Danny rounds on him. “Is jumping onto the roof of a car, that’s going in the opposite direction of traffic, a smart thing to do?” Steve scoffs and rolls his eyes.

From the look on Danny’s face, he tamps his desire to congratulate Steve on how cool it probably looked. “No - it’s very stupid.”

“See, stupid!” Danny throws his hands up in the air and then points at him. “My nephew is saying it’s stupid. Is that telling you something?”

He leans against the door and ignoring the less than stellar esteem that Danny holds him in.

Steve glares at Eric and then stands up properly. “Danny, if I didn’t then someone was going to be killed.”

“Yeah you! You know what; we’ll talk about this when I get back. Change your shirt, and have someone check your grazes. You can’t afford to get an infection. Come on Eric.”

Danny starts driving before Eric fully closes the door. “You were right...don’t get married. It only makes you miserable,” he mutters, irritation and anger fighting for dominance in his voice.

He would point out that Danny in a roundabout way just called Steve his husband, and to be honest he can see why people think that – hell he thought that they may have had something the first time he came to Hawaii (not that he’ll ever tell Danny that). The reason that he does not point it out is because he can see the stress in Danny’s hands as they clutch the steering wheel. His knuckles are white, the veins on his forearms prominent under his skin.

“Why don’t you leave?” he asks, inwardly breathing a sigh of relief as Danny’s foot eases of the accelerator. “If he won’t listen to you?”

Danny doesn’t answer immediately. He opens his mouth a few times, as if the words are ready to come out, but they all end in silence too.  Finally he says, “Because I’m more afraid of what he’d do without me around, than I am with.”

“Uncle D…I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but Steve’s like a badass…and you know – he’s a grown man. He can take care of himself.”  

“It’s not that easy to leave Eric,” Danny tells him with a sad glance in his direction.  

He fights against the wave of anger that inexplicably washes over him. It is that easy. He’s the result of it being that easy. “Dad could.”

“No offence kid, but your dad is a dipshit.”  _Is...was...not that we'd know._

And Danny is not. _Fuck._ He slumps down in his seat. “I know…” He rubs at his face. “Did you ever think of it – just transferring back to HPD?”

Danny glances at him. “You gotta promise to never mention this to anyone.” When he promises, Danny looks back at the road. “I have. A lot,” he confesses. “But only due to concern for my safety. They good people Eric – and despite what it may look like to you, they are worried about me,” he tells him with a meaningful glance in his direction.

 _Oh how the hell?_ “Uncle D! I can explain! How did—“

“Kono left her cell on the tech table without locking it out of the automatic sync/cloud whatever. I appreciate you looking out for me but they have my back.”

And he’ll acquiesce on Kono and Chin, and maybe even Lou – he hasn’t really gotten to know him that well but there is one question mark. “Even Steve?”

A troubled expression flashes across Danny’s face. “He does,” he says firmly, and more importantly, automatically. Something inside Eric’s chest eases considerably, but not totally. Danny looks over at him. “We’ve had more good than bad.”

Danny shuts off the engine. Eric opens his door and gets, folding his arms on the top of the car waiting for Danny to exit it too. “You sound like grandma. I didn’t realise you two got married.” 

Danny snorts and locks his car. “I gave half him my liver. I figure that’s worth at least thirty years of matrimony.” 

* * *

“Hey, come here baby.” He immediately goes over to hug her and frowns feeling her shake in his arms. He’s been driving since the early morning, ever since he heard his mom’s teary message asking him to come home as soon as possible.

He’ll figure out how to catch up on his classes later.

She pulls out of his arms and then offers him a small smile. “You okay mom?”

“Not really, I need to tell you something.” She leads him into the kitchen where there’s a bin overflowing with tissues, an empty box on the floor and a new one on the table.

“What? Jesus mom, someone die or something?” He wasn’t serious but as he says the words his mom lets out a sob and wipes hastily at her eyes. “Holy shit, who?” For a moment he wonders if it’s his dad.

“Uncle Matt. Danny’s flying back as we speak.”

_Holy shit._

“How?”

“He wouldn’t tell me. Go pack some stuff, we should go to grandma’s.” He frowns, watching her tear the tissue into even smaller pieces.

“Mom?” She stops, looking up from the little pile of white at him and blinks, as if only just realising that he’s there with her.

She offers him a watery smile. “Yeah baby?”

“I’m sorry ‘bout Uncle Matt.”

* * *

He had not forgotten about Grace’s desire for a party. Since Danny’s birthday was coming up they had a month to sort everything out. The big 4-0. He thought that they were going to do something big but Grace and Rachel had both laughed at that. “Danno hates crowds. It’s the only thing he doesn’t miss about New Jersey.”

“Uncle D digs cities.”

Rachel had shrugged. “Yes he does, but he despises crowded places. It makes him feel claustrophobic. He’d much rather a small get together.”

“We can do it on Uncle Steve’s beach!” Grace had said and proceeded to call him before Eric could stop her. “Uncle Steve, is Danno with you? No, okay, I’m putting you on speakerphone.”

 _“Hello? Gracie, are you okay?”_ Steve had asked, with a hint of worry.

“Can we have Danno’s birthday at your place?”

_“How many people are you thinking of inviting? If it’s a lot it might be better—“_

“Only ohana. The people who matter to Danno the most. Also it’s a secret so you can’t tell him,” she said in a rush.

Rachel gave a quick frown in Grace’s direction. “Grace he hasn’t said yes. Sorry Commander.”

 _“Rachel? That’s okay – I’d be happy to have it.”_ They heard the shuffle of a few papers and Steve’s voice quietly tell them that, “ _Danny’s coming in; I have to go…I’ll call you later. Hey Dan—“_ And call ended. 

And after a solid amount of planning it was Danny’s birthday.

Last he’d seen Danny; he was down by the beach with Charlie. Eric had to admit that the place looked really good, lanterns where strung down the beach for nightfall. There was a flow of people mostly from the lanai down to the beach. A long table was set up for dinner and at Danny’s command, Steve had reluctantly left the grill to someone else.

“Hey man,” Steve says clapping his shoulder. “How’s it going?”

He’s taking a breather inside, sitting on the ottoman in the living room. “Can’t complain.”

“Thank god, you aren’t like him.” Steve says with an easy grin and amusement on his face.

And he knows that Steve means nothing by it, he swears he does, but he can’t help with little bit of himself that wants to punch his uncle’s partner in the mouth because his uncle is so fucking awesome and he’s still not entirely convinced by what Danny had told him in the car all those weeks ago. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

The smile falters on Steve’s face. “I was just joking man. Are you okay?” Steve is staring at him, and Eric can see that he’s more worried than angry.

“What?” He glares and stands up. “I’m fine; there is nothing wrong with me. It’s you.”

“Whoa! What?”

“Look man, do you know how lucky you are? The only reason you are even here is because Uncle D would literally, rather die, than give up the possibility of saving your life.” The words come out in a rush, rapid and pointed staccato against the soft music coming from outside. “Shit man, he has a family. He has Grace, Charlie, and me. And I don’t know if he forgot, or—“

“Hey, he’d never forget you guys.”

“Great, so I guess that means that you make him really stupid.”  

Steve comes around and sits on the coffee table, his eyes apologetic. “I didn’t realise you guys were so close. Danny never really…”

“Not my point.” He waves Steve’s words away. “We’re not. Well…we are…probably it’s more in my head.” He looks at Steve. “Obviously you’re really fucking important to him.”

“He’s important to me too.”

“Then would it kill you to act like it?”  For a second Steve bristles at him, his nose flaring, and fists slightly curled. _Oh shit,_ a part of his brain screams, _you pissed off an ex-Navy SEAL._ “I know he can be a pain in the ass,” he says quickly. “But it’s because he cares. As much as it seems like he just likes to hear his voice, he’s mostly doing it because he is genuinely worried.” He throws his hands up. “You don’t have to believe me. I’m just calling it how I see it – how Uncle D feels about it.”

At that Steve’s fists uncurl and he physically deflates before him. “He’s gotta know…”

“He’s not a mind reader.” At Steve’s lost look, he sighs and leans forward as if telling him a secret. “Gestures are great – it’s how we are at home - he’s touchy feely for a reason. But actually saying shit? Man, during the divorce, Aunt Rach used words to hurt him and he _fixated_ on them.” He tries not to let bitterness colour his voice because they’ve moved past it but it’s important. If it’ll help his uncle, it’s important.

Steve surveys him and gets up holding his hand out. “I’ll tell him if you tell him?”

“What do you think my present is? You have a deal, Commander.” He shakes Steve hand, only dropping it when hears a voice behind him.

“Oh no,” Danny moans, dragging his hand over his face in a rather dramatic fashion. “Steve you are not making bets with my nephew. Eric, you should know better!” Steve smiles at him, and Danny is clearly trying to look more serious than he feels if the hint of a smile is anything to go by.

Eric puts his arms up. “I wasn’t!”

“Danny...” Steve starts and just _whoa_. Eric blinks at Steve who looks at Danny, a slightly nervous smile on his face. “Got a second for me?”

“For you babe? A whole minute, remember?” Danny returns, looking between them curiously. He glances at Eric. “Ah, if this is a private conversation, I suggest upstairs.”

Steve nods happily, running up the stairs impatiently while Danny leisurely makes his way up.

“Hey Uncle D?” he says just before Danny disappears from sight. Danny ducks down and looks at him quizzically. Just because he can, Eric wiggles his eyebrows meaningfully at his uncle, who responds by bringing his hands up in mid-air and mimes choking him out before disappearing from view.

“E-Train!” Charlie yells.

“Coming bud!”

Later when they’re all around the table, food mostly eaten from their plates, and the light falling considerable, Eric stands up, clinking his spoon against his glass of water.

“I wanna say something.”

“Oh god,” Danny mumbles under his breath.

Steve smiles beside him. “You’ll love this Danny I promise.”

“Was this what you two were planning inside?” Danny’s eyes go wide and he looks at Steve who brushes his hand along Danny’s arm, before directing his attention back to Eric.

“Uh, right.” And all eyes turn to him. “This, speech, it’s a little heavy so just warning you now.” _You can do this._ He pauses for a second trying to think of an opening before realising that they best way to start is _at the start_. “I was four when my dad left. I don’t know if he got tired of us or...he could hack it, being a dad.” He snorts bitterly

“Eric…” Danny says watching him with worry.

He sees Danny’s face, the elation gone and he gets it. He second guesses himself – questions whether Danny’s birthday is the best place to do this but if he doesn’t say it now… “The point is as a kid, I didn’t really feel like I was missing out on much ‘cause Uncle D - he was there. He taught me how to hit a baseball and made sure I ran in the right way when I played Little League. He--he was there at my high school graduation and even though he looks grumpy in most of the photos, mom says he was proud.” He hears Rachel hush Charlie as he squirms in her lap

“I was,” Danny says quietly and Eric nods his head.

“But then, I dunno - sometimes that ain’t enough and, well, most’ve of you know the story - wrong crowd, bad decisions, getting my ass kicked to Hawaii but it was okay you know? Uncle D put me right. He didn’t do it nicely. He totally jumped all over my feels and kicked the crap of them.”

He hears a few titters of laughter and shrugs.

“What I’m trying to say is, you guys - I hope you know how lucky you got having Uncle D on your side. I mean it’s probably understandable if you didn’t, ‘cause I didn’t really realise it either...not until, you know - he pulled a Captain America. Mom’s still really pissed off about that by the way.”

“Eric!” Rachel gasps.

“Right, right, sorry little man,” he apologises, waving at Charlie who waves back once Rachel uncovers his ears.

He hears Danny snort.  

“Look, we probably don’t say it enough...in my case, I’ve never really said it at all, but I really hope...you know…ah...thanks for keeping me outta jail.” 

* * *

“This is what you were worried about.” He loosens the tie around his neck and steps towards the headstone.  

Danny raises his head, the tear tracks on his face glinting in the sunlight. “Not really. You were too lazy to be this stupid.”

“Your faith in me really warms my heart.” He looks down at the headstone and tries to recall the last time he saw Uncle Matt. Shit, he doesn’t even remember. Maybe it was for a birthday?  “How’d he die?”

Danny tilts his head, his voice raw and croaky. “Eric--”

The funeral was bigger than he thought it would be. A sea of black. There was another funeral across from them - smaller though, a handful of people in vibrant colours. The contrast was eerie.  “I’m not a kid. I’ve seen a real dead body before and I didn’t freak out.”

Danny snorts, and wipes at his face. “Yeah you were real mature about it.”

Eric smiles because he totally was. “I coulda barfed. I mean he was pretty much soup.”

“Disgusting.”

“I’m going to be working with dead people,” he reminds his uncle.  

Danny acknowledges that with a nod of his head. “Yeah, but it’s different when it’s _your_ uncle.”

He needs to know, it’s just one of the morbid curiosities. He’s wanted to know ever since he heard the news. Danny had demanded a closed casket. “Please?”

Danny looks around the empty cemetery. “You have to promise not to tell your mother or anyone else okay.”

“Swear it.”

“They beat him before they shot him between the eyes. He was stuffed in an oil drum when they gave him to me.” Eric feels his pulse rachet up because the visuals going through his mind are intense - that’s mafia level shit, and it happened to them. “Eric? Shit.” He feels Danny’s hand on his shoulder. “I shouldn’t have said anything. Fuck, I broke you - Stel’s gonna whack me with a spoon.”

“No, I’m okay,” he gasps out eventually. “Just...hearing it…” he offers Danny a weak smile. “You know...at least he wasn’t soup.” The words come out before he can stop them and he feels horrified. He sees Danny’s face, how his mouth drops open and he prepares himself for the oncoming punch to the jaw.

Instead, Danny throws his head back and laughs - loud guffaws the have him curling in on himself. Eric chuckles a little, more focused on waiting for Danny to lose his mind and breakdown, but it never comes.

“Uncle D? Sorry, that was inappropriate.”

“Understatement of the century,” Danny wheezes out. Danny eventually gets himself under control, wiping his face with the back of his hand. “When you start working please don’t say that sort of shit, okay - lesson number one.” Eric nods his head dutifully. “Come on, we should go, they’ll be wondering where we are.”

* * *

He chickened out. _Jesus..._

“Hey Eric.”  

He watches as Danny kicks up sand behind him, a bottle of beer held loosely between his fingertips. “Uncle D.”

Danny claps him on the shoulder and tilts the open beer bottle in his direction. He probably won’t be drinking it, but takes it anyway needing something to occupy at least one of his hands. “Nice speech. You didn’t even have notes with you.”

Shit, he should’ve written it all down. “Was meant to...but I couldn’t think of what to write. I winged it,” he replies honestly. _Ah fuck it,_ he thinks and brings the bottle to his lips taking a mouthful.

Danny hums next to him. “You did well. I might’ve cried a bit after you bolted from the table.”

“Really?” He tries to peer at his uncle’s eyes except the light is too low to see any red in them. They don’t look that glassy either.

“Sand must’ve gotten in my eyes.” Danny shrugs. “It’s one of the reasons why I hate the beach.  I don’t understand _why someone would want it as their backyard_!” The last few words are yelled over his shoulder, obviously not for Eric.

“Love you too Danno!” shouts Steve from where ever he is behind them – and Eric doesn’t doubt that Steve’s just taking the words in his stride. Danny shakes his head and bites his lip to stop the grin from spreading.

“I appreciate what you were trying to say but if you want to thank me all you gotta do is keep your nose clean, and do your work. That’s all I need from you, alright?”

“Got it.”

“Danno! Presents!” Steve and Grace yell.

“Oh god, if they start opening them before I get there, I’m going to kill him.” Danny wraps his arm around Eric’s shoulder pulls him down for a hug. Eventually he lets go, patting his cheek twice before turning around to go back inside.

“Thanks Uncle D.”

There’s a slight breeze that carries Danny’s half mumbled words to him and brings a smile to his face as he looks back at the ocean. “I knew you were going to be awesome.”

**Author's Note:**

> LIke I said, anon, I hope you enjoyed it even though it didn't turn out exactly like your ask :) 
> 
> Everyone - thanks for reading :D


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